A Decade in Review

A year ago, I posted resolutions. Still undecided if I should make any for 2010  as last year's were not too successful, I am procrastinating a little and inspired by a few of my fav blogs, I wrote my own decade in review instead... 


Here are a few snapshots from my life the past ten years:

2000 - I travelled to Luxembourg for a 3-month European exchange. I saw parts of France, Germany and Switzerland, went to an all-girls school, met some wonderful people and learned a tiny bit of French. I came home several pounds heavier thanks to copius amounts of 'noodles', eclairs, and ice cream.

2001 - Co-edited our high school yearbook with a friend I'd had since kindergarten. Participated in the 2 week Oddfellows & Rebekah's "United Nations Pilgrimmage for Youth". Met more wonderful people from around Ontario, saw Gettysburg, Washington, as well as New York, where I took an incredible photo standing at the bottom of the Twin Towers, which now hangs in my living room 'gallery'.

2002 - Worked my butt off in English class for the highest mark and threw my all into my Independant Study Assignment. Looking back, it was one of my favourite assignments of all time. I converted the old girl's change room into an insane assylum. Graduated high school and finally started at the University of Guelph, after years of anticipation. I moved into a triple in Mills Hall.

2003 - I'd fully engrossed myself in all things Aggie at the U of G. I moved to Alberta for a summer job, which resulted in a lasting friendship with my then landlord & roommate. I went to the Calgary Stampede and drove a standard car for the first time. When school started, I was the Commerce rep on the ag students council, became best friends with the VP and succeeded in going out every night of the week, several weeks in a row while my GPA nosedived below 80 for the first time.

2004 - Took a road trip with a van load of Aggies to Louisiana State University (quotes from the trip were posted years ago on here) for a conference. Had my heart broken for the first time. Won a trip to judge in the 4-H competition at World Dairy Expo.

2005 - After the worst travel experience I've yet to ever have, I landed on the California Central Coast for 3 months of fun, not a lot of sun, and some schooling at Cal Poly. I made some wonderful friends and learned more about the dairy industry then I could've in years of working in it. This was evidenced when our Guelph team competed for the first time and won the Intercollegiate Dairy Challenge. After putting the International Plowing Match on hold for a year, I competed in Perth County and won the Ontario Queen of the Furrow crown.

2006 - Devastated when our ag marketing team was put out in the first round of competition at the U.S. conference. Donned a peach bridesmaid dress for my friend Debora, who was one of the most beautiful brides I've ever seen. Started working for John Deere. Was 'that girl in the red dress' at another friend's wedding.

2007 - Moved 3 times in 6 months, including several months living in Old Quebec City. Here, my French got much better. Questioned fate and struggled to understand life when a friend dealt with a family suicide. Visited PEI for the first time, fell in love with the landscape and the people, and moved there for a month, before being transferred back to Southern Ontario. Bought a house.

2008 - Went on a wine tour, bought a case of wine and fell in love with Niagara. Started blogging and realized I was house rich and cash poor. Realized I was exactly where I wanted to be in life, was the "John Deere girl" at the Tim Hortons Brier, yet learned some serious life lessons about the working world.

2009 - The summer of weddings. A photo I took at our farm was featured in the Semex calendar. Started selling Pampered Chef and every other week felt like Christmas as I filled my kitchen with new stuff. Really started to love cooking. Grew a garden. Got a promotion. Visited my great uncle's grave in the Rheinberg War Cemetary in Germany.